The BJP Monday charged the Congress with mishandling the Telangana affair and said the ruling party’s electoral calculations were the main reason behind the discord between people and representatives of the two Telugu speaking regions.

“The two regions are crossing swords with each other. Why could you not do it with much greater harmony?” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said, highlighting “movement on Telangana has been one of the biggest mass movements in India. It has sustained, so government should have responded well in advance”.

Jaitley pointed out to “amicable split” of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh during the BJP-led NDA regime under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000. “You must do it like NDA through discussion with all stakeholders while creating Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand,” he said.